Okay, with the help of past postings, I have gotten to the Iberia, Span-Air and some Air Europa sites. At Iberia I found that planes leave from Madrid to Venice daily (I've decided to skip France altogether), and the price for a one way ticket is very reasonable (US$125), but I want to know: do I have to buy weeks or months ahead of time?

Is it possible to buy a plane ticket just a few days before or even the same day and not pay much more than if I purchased in advance?

Doesn't it say on the Iberia website that you have to pick up the ticket within 3 days of reserving/purchasing it on the internet? I don't know the answer to your ? about prices, but tell me, please, if those flights are DIRECT to venice? thanks!

Iberia flights to Venice are direct from Madrid (at least by now). Anyway, if you are thinking to buy last minute tickets you really have to take a look at the "entrando en pista" page of the Iberia site, this is where they publish the empty sits of the planes (every thursday) and you can fly venice for 19000pesetas and Madrid-NY for 39000pesetas...., I did it for Torino last fall and it was great, a full regular flight, I am afraid this is a kind of spaniard secret since this part of the site only appears in the spanish version of the www.iberia.es

This is the page http://www.iberia.es/compra/index.html
Every thursday there is a crowd checking for the last deals, they sold 300.000 plane tickets on 2000. I know it's nothing for the states but thinking on terms of Spain
e-business it's a lot of selling.

Enjoy

I have an additional question: On Iberia airlines, what is considered a "Youth"? The one way fare I see direct from Madrid to Venice (leaves daily at 10:40) is 22,627 peseteas. It says type of fare is "Youth Student." What is their age range for youth? I am not a student, but I am considered a youth by some travel agencies because I'm under 26 years.

WOW!!!!! I checked out the site on the airfare specials that Nativo gave us. I see that it is only 120$ round trip to the Canary Islands. I might just have to change my plans while I am in Spain. 6 days on the island would be great. What a find!!! Only 3 more days before I arrive in Madrid .....